Garment protector



June 22, 1943. c. STRAUSS 2,322,601

GARMENT PROTECTOR I Filed May 9, 1941 Patented June 22, 1943 or ies GARMENT PROTECTOR Charles Strauss, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Arvey Corporation, Chicago. 111.. a corporation of Illinois Application May 9, 1941, Serial No. 392,641

2 Claims.

. This invention relates to improvements in garment protectors, and more particularly to an improved protector of the expansible, transparent hood type, adapted to cover and protect the shoulder and collar portions of garments such as dresses, suits and particularly coats which have appreciable width at such shoulder and collar portions, while such garments are suspended on conventional hangers, and more particularly for sale and display purposes.

It has heretofore been recognized that garment protectors of this typ having their facing portions formed of such materials as regenerated cellulose films were subject to tearing, particularly at points where the several component portions were of necessity stitched together; or at the bound terminal edges,.such tearing resulting from the minute stitching perforations. It is of course apparent that minute perforations or cuts otherwise caused readily enlarge in such film material causing a waste and destruction of the article. The use of multipleplies of the foregoing material is without substantial benefit in this respect and only serves to give an undesirable bulkiness with reduction in transparency. Likewise prior garment protectors of this type required the use of woven textile fabric for the expansible side portions, and such fabric being entirely opaque results in complete concealment of the covered garments when viewed sideways and thus are without benefit to such extent, and at times even objectionable for the purpose of displaying garments which are for sale and displayed in large numbers on racks.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provid a garment protector of the expansible hood type formed of a composite uniform material throughout so as to provide an equal degree of transparency in use when the covered garment is viewed from either the front or back faces or the side edges.

Another object is to provide a garment protector of the transparent hood type composed of a composite film material which may be stitched at necessary or desirable portions or otherwise punctured or out without danger of the extension of such rupture and the premature destruction of the article.

Other objects relate to the details of construction, arrangement of parts and economies thereof which will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification and drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevati-onal View of my im proved garment protector.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof in partly expanded position.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of one side end of my improved article.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3...

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 'l 1 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a blank development illustrating the preferred construction of my garment protector.

Fig. 9'is an enlarged fragmentary section of the component plies of the composite film material used in forming my garment protector. Referring to the drawing, my garment protector is in the form of a hood or dome, generally indicated as IE1, open at the base I I and closedat the top l2 except for the aperture l3 through which may be passed the hook of a conventional garment hanger. The upper portion of the hood, or the convergence of the side and top edges thereof is preferably arcuate to substantially conform to the shoulder and collar portions of the garment to be protected, and the depth may be consistent with any body portion of the garment desired to be protected in addition to the shoulder portions.

In my preferred form of construction, for economy, simplicity and ease of construction, and by virtue of the composite material which I employ, the entire protector, that is both facing portions I 4 and I5 and the expanding side end portions l6 and I7 may be out in a single continuous sheet, as illustrated in Fig. 8.

The material from which I form my improved garment protector is composed, as illustrated diagrammatically and on an enlarged scale in Fig. 9, of a thin film of transparent material 18 to which I bond a layer of mesh fabric IS. The film l8 may be of any suitable commercially available transparent plastic film material such as the various cellulosic derivatives, and more particularly cellulose acetate. Although various materials of this nature may be employed, they are not fully equivalent for this purpose, and I have found that cellulose acetate maybe employed in relatively thin films of great uniformity and good transparency, and which tend to retain a smooth uniform surface in use under varying conditions. The fabric [9 is an openwork textile fabric mesh of relatively light weight, and is bonded to the film l8 by suitable adhesive means, such as for example by means of a thermoplastic or pressure sensitive adhesive to form an integral sheet.

By reason of employment of such composite or laminated film material it will be apparent that the effect of cuts or perforations resulting from accident or from stitching Will not spread throughout the film 18 but will be limited to the opening of a single mesh-of the fabric l9, and thus the life of the protector will be preserved. It will also be evident that by use of my composite material which partakes of the qualities and benefits of both a transparent film and a fabric throughout the Whole thereof, and which at the same time remains relatively thin and freely flexible, that the side end portions l6 and I! may be formed of the same material as the faces 14 and IS with not only equal benefit as to strength but with the added benefit that the side edges have as high a degree of transparency as the face portions, and which at times is fully as important.

As previously set forth, all component portions of the protector may be cut ina single blank as illustrated in Fig. 8, the side end piece [6 being contiguous with the face portions l4 and I5 and separated therefrom by the fold lines 20 and 21 respectively at their vertical edges, and the end piece I! contiguous with the face l5 and separated therefrom by the fold line 22. The face portions l4 and I5 are preferably formed as illustrated with curved upper corner portions, and the end pieces I6 and H, which may be as wide as desired, terminate upwardly in slightly curved tapered portions. In forming the protector, the vertical edge portion 23 of the side piece 11 is stitched to the free vertical edge 24 of the face l4, and the tapered extensions of the end portions I6 and i1 stitched to the faces M and I5 at .their corresponding marginal edges. be noted that due to the length and configuration of the tapered ends of the side pieces the :faces l4 and 15 are caused to be brought together at the horizontally extending upper edge portion 12, whereat they may be stitched together to complete the dome closure, except for the small hanger hook entrance portion i3, which may be suitably cut out of one face. For the purpose of enabling the protector to be stored fiat, and expanded over the top :of a garment in use; the side ill) It Will pieces l6 and I! are folded inwardly on the medial lines 25 and 26 respectively.

It will be understood that although I have stated that the various free and meeting edges may be stitched together, they may in the alternative be adhered together by adhesives or thermoplastic or pressure sensitive means. It will also be understood without necessity for added detailed description that the various meeting and defining edges may be stitched together in the form of smooth bent over seams and/or bound with tape or the like material.

I claim as my invention:

1. An expansible hood type garment protector comprising face portions secured directly to each other at their medial upper marginal edges to form a joint extending along said upper marginal edges and end portions positioned between the side edges of said face portions and having their side edges joined to the side edges of said face portions, said end portions having upper portions tapering and converging toward the ends of said joint, the upper ends of said tapering portions being secured to said face portions at said ends 'of said joint, said garment protector having an opening intermediate the ends of said joint.

'2. An expansible transparent hood type garment protector comprising face portions secured directly to each other at their medial upper marginal edges to form a joint extending along said upper marginal edges and folda'ble end portions positi'oned'between the side e'dgesof said face portions and having their side edges joined to the side edges of said face portions, said end portions having substantially rectangular lower portions and upper portions tapering and converging toward the ends of said joint, the upper ends of 

